Can Can Food Drive - June 18th-21st

This summer is the 3^rd year of the Summer of Sharing and in the summer of 2011, like many of the people in need on the South Plains, the shelves at the Food Bank were bare. This shortfall is due to the unfortunate increase of people served by the Food Bank and kids being home from school during the summer. We NEVER want to turn anyone away, so this food drive was important in keeping that promise. The Food Bank received a call from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who wanted to help and urge others to help refill the shelves. 

Last year, we were able to partner with Lowe’s Grocery Stores and Plains Capital Bank as well as our renewed partnership with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to make this event even more successful in the Summer of 2012. With these three partners we were able to increase our summer-time donations which lasted well into the Fall.

This year the main site for the food drive will be located at the Lowe's Supermarket at 19th and Frankford.  The local stores will be selling pre-made bags containing $12 of food, whichinclude several items that are necessary for each food box, for only $5. You can easily be part of this drive with a quick donation at the register and help your neighbors in need all across the South Plains. 

For the past several years the South Plains Food Bank has been a driving force behind the Summer Feeding Programs in the Lubbock Area. Tammy Hester, the Child Nutrition Director at the Kitchen of Hope, carefully plans the weekly menu for kids that need a balanced meal during the summer months at a safe and accessible location. The sites (listed HERE) are manned by volunteers who ensure that every kid is fed and all safety guidelines are followed.

The program picks up where the Federal Free and Reduced Breakfast and Lunch programs leave off once the kids are out of school for summer vacation. Approximately 21 million children participated in the free or reduced priced school meal program in FY 2012, just 2.3 million children received meals during the summer months, largely due to the lack of local programs.  Simply put, too many of America’s kids are going hungry in the summer months.

While the Food Bank Receives federal funding through The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), the rest of the funding comes from donations. 
 We are blessed to have some great people and businesses on the South Plains who hate to see the statistic of 1 in 4 children on the South Plains going to bed hungry each day.  We invite you to do what you can to help by clicking the “Donate Now” button above and make a donation in honor of the Summer Feeding Program or Kids Cafe.

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I can’t begin to tell you the number of times we have heard guests who attend one of our monthly Behind the Scenes Tours comment “I didn’t know you did that”.   Even staff and volunteers have been known to say the same thing. 

The Behind the Scenes Tour is an opportunity to learn more about our mission and the people we serve.  What happens to the food you donate?  Where else does food come from and where does it go?  How many people did we feed last year?  What is a mobile pantry?  What is a Kids Café?   Who are the GRUB kids and what do we grow at the Farm and the Apple Orchard?

Please be our guest for a 60 minute, free box lunch and tour at noon on the 3^rd Thursday of each month or an afternoon program and tour at 4:00pm on the 1^st Tuesday of each month.  

RSVP or questions?  Call or email Karen King at 763-3003 or kking@spfb.org  or register online at www.spfb.org.  

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Food banking solves two problems ... hunger and waste. The South Plains Food Bank, Inc. is committed to alleviating hunger and giving hope to the hungry. We are a humanitarian resource responsible for securing, growing, processing, and distributing food to charitable organizations and persons in need.  Read more about us HERE.